The Backbone One Controller for iPhone promises to be the perfect accessory for mobile and cloud gamers, but how does it hold up in reality?
What We Liked
There’s a lot to like about the Backbone One Controller. First up, the build quality is top notch. It has a nice matte feel to it, solid build, and great feeling controls.
The one thing I was worried about was those grips. In the promo shots they looked a little on the large size, but in reality they add barely any bulk, but a huge amount of comfort. Unlike other mobile controllers I felt like I had somewhere to hook my fingers, making this the most comfortable controller I’ve used.
The controls feel solid, responsive, and they’re well laid out. All the buttons have a very satisfying click, and although I wasn’t a huge fan of the D-Pad, it does the job. Joysticks are very comfortable, and anyone who has used the Nintendo Switch will feel right at home.
There’s a lightning port for pass-through charging, and a 3.5mm headphone jack! This is great as it helps to prevent further wireless interference from bluetooth headphones.
What We Disliked
There’s a lot to like, but of course there are things we disliked about the Backbone One Controller.
First, the mounting and un-mounting. Unlike the Gamesir X2 which has a flexible lightning connector, the Backbone One Controller has a solid connector that makes taking your iPhone in and out of the device a little tricky. It’s not hard to get used to, but you better make sure you get it right otherwise you might end up damaging either the controller or worse, your phone.
Although it didn’t affect us, it is worth noting if you have an iPhone 13, the camera bump will cause compatibility issues. There is a 3D printed part you can get, but it’s not going to be the best experience.
Conclusion
All in all there is a lot to like about the Backbone One Controller, and we’d go as far to say it’s our favourite mobile and cloud gaming controller.
It’s solid, offers low latency input, and feels incredible comfortable to use. Despite the issue of getting it in and out, the thing feels very close to perfect.
Definitely a worthwhile purchase for all you cloud and mobile gaming enthusiasts.
Check out our video review below.
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